High blood pressure is linked to increased risk of developing or dying from cancer Raised blood pressure is linked to a higher risk of developing cancer or dying from the disease according to the findings of the largest study to date to investigate the association between the two conditions. Dr Mieke Van Hemelrijck will tell the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress in Stockholm today Tuesday that there had been contradictory results from previous smaller studies investigating the link between cancer and blood pressure. Cayenne Garlic High Blood Pressure however her study which included 289454 men and 288345 women showed that higher than normal blood pressure was statistically significantly associated with a 10-20% higher risk of developing cancer in men and a higher risk of dying from the disease in both men and women. Dr Van Hemelrijck a research associate in the Cancer Epidemiology Group at King’s College London London UK and her colleagues analysed data on blood pressure and cancer incidence and death in a prospective study that included seven groups of participants in Norway Austria and Sweden. Mid-blood pressure is defined as systolic blood pressure plus diastolic blood pressure divided by two. The average mid-blood pressure in this study was 107 mmHg for men and 102 mmHG for women.

After an average of 12 years of follow-up and excluding the first year 22184 men and 14744 women had been diagnosed with cancer and 8724 men and 4525 women died from the disease. The overall risk of developing any cancer increased by 29% between men in the lowest quintile and those in the highest. The researchers also found that as blood pressure rose the risk of oral colorectal lung bladder and kidney cancers melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers rose in men. In women increased blood pressure was not statistically significantly associated with the overall risk of developing any cancer but was associated with an increased risk of cancers of the liver pancreas cervix and endometrium and melanoma. In both men and women there was an increased risk of dying from cancer; men in the fifth quintile had a 49% increased risk of dying compared to those in the first quintile and women in the fifth quintile had a 24% increased risk compared to those in the first. Dr Van Hemelrijck explained: “This means that we found that men with mid-blood pressure in the highest fifth had an absolute risk of developing cancer of 16% compared to an absolute risk of 13% for those with mid-blood pressure in the lowest fifth. Although the relative and absolute risk estimates were rather modest these results are important from a public health perspective since a large proportion of the population in many western countries suffers from hypertension.

In women increased blood pressure was not statistically significantly associated with the overall risk of developing any cancer but was associated with an increased risk of cancers of the liver pancreas cervix and

endometrium and melanoma. In both men and women there was an increased risk of dying from cancer; men in the fifth quintile had a 49% increased risk of dying compared to those in the first quintile and women in the fifth quintile had a 24% increased risk compared to those in the first. Dr Van Hemelrijck explained: “This means that we Cayenne Garlic High Blood Pressure found that men with mid-blood pressure in the highest fifth had an absolute risk of developing cancer of 16% compared to an absolute risk of 13% for those with mid-blood pressure in the lowest fifth. Although the relative and absolute risk estimates were rather modest these results are important from a public health perspective since a large proportion of the population in many western countries suffers from hypertension.” The researchers adjusted their results to take account of age sex body mass index smoking and random errors in the exposure classification of blood pressure errors that occur due to inaccuracy in blood pressure measurements or due to an Cayenne Garlic High Blood Pressure individual patient’s variations in blood pressure which can be corrected by using data from several examinations. Dr Van Hemelrijck warned that as the study was observational it could not show that blood pressure was the cause of the increased cancer risk.

Dr Van Hemelrijck explained: “This means that we found that men with mid-blood pressure in the highest fifth had an absolute risk of developing cancer of 16% compared to an absolute risk of 13% for those with mid-blood pressure in the lowest fifth. Although the relative and absolute risk estimates were rather modest these results are important from a public health perspective since a large proportion of the population in many western countries suffers from hypertension.” The researchers adjusted their results to take account of age sex body mass index smoking and random errors in the exposure classification of blood pressure errors that occur due to inaccuracy in blood pressure measurements or due to an individual patient’s variations in blood pressure which can be corrected by using data from several examinations. Dr Van Hemelrijck warned that as the study was observational it could not show that blood pressure was the cause of the increased cancer risk. For instance high blood pressure is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and our study now indicates that high blood pressure may also be a risk factor for cancer.” The researchers are unsure why men with high blood pressure appeared to have a higher cancer risk than women. In contrast the second largest study previously found a higher cancer risk for women than for men. The differences in findings might be explained due to our

larger sample size slightly older population adjustment for random error or lack of information on anti-hypertensive treatment” she said.

Dr Van Hemelrijck explained: “This means that we found that men wih mid-blood pressure in the highest fifth had an absolute risk of developing cancer of 16% compared to an absolute risk of 13% for those with mid-blood pressure in the lowest fifth. Although the relative and absolute risk estimates were rather modest these results are important from a public health perspective since a large proportion of the population in many western countries suffers from hypertension.” The researchers adjusted their results to take account of age sex body mass index smoking and random errors in the exposure classification of blood pressure errors that occur due to inaccuracy in blood pressure measurements or due to an individual patient’s variations in blood pressure which can be corrected by using data from several examinations. Dr Van Hemelrijck warned that as the study was observational it could not show that blood pressure was the cause of the increased cancer risk.

The results were divided into five groups or quintiles so that people with the lowest mid-blood pressure were in the first and those with the highest mid-blood pressure were in the fifth quintile. After an average of 12 years of follow-up and excluding the first year 22184 men and 14744 women had been diagnosed with cancer and 8724 men and 4525 women died from the disease. The overall risk of developing any cancer increased by 29% between men in the lowest quintile and those in the highest.

The results were divided into five groups or quintiles so that people with the lowest mid-blood pressure were in the first and those with the highest mid-blood pressure were in the fifth quintile. After an average of 12 years of follow-up and excluding the first year 22184 men and 14744 women had been diagnosed with cancer and 8724 men and 4525 women died from the disease. The overall risk of developing any cancer increased by 29% between men in the lowest quintile and those in the highest.

The results were divided into five groups or quintiles so that people with the lowest mid-blood pressure were in the first and those with the highest mid-blood pressure were in the fifth quintile. After an average of 12 years of follow-up and excluding the first year 22184 men and 14744 women had been diagnosed with cancer and 8724 men and 4525 women died from the disease. The overall risk of developing any cancer increased by 29% between men in the lowest quintile and those in the highest.

The results were divided into five groups or quintiles so that people with the lowest mid-blood pressure were in the first and those with the highest mid-blood pressure were in the fifth quintile. After an average of 12 years of follow-up and excluding the first year 22184 men and 14744 women had been diagnosed with cancer and 8724 men and 4525 women died from the disease. The overall risk of developing any cancer increased by 29% between men in the lowest quintile and those in the highest.

Dr Van Hemelrijck explained: “This means that we found that men with mid-blood pressure in the highest fifth had an absolute risk of developing cancer of 16% compared to an absolute risk of 13% for those with mid-blood pressure in the lowest fifth. Although the relative and absolute risk estimates were rather modest these results are important from a public health perspective since a large proportion of the population in many western countries suffers from hypertension.” The researchers adjusted their results to take account of age sex body mass index smoking and random errors in the exposure classification of blood pressure errors that occur due to inaccuracy in blood pressure measurements or due to an individual patient’s variations in blood pressure which can be corrected by using data from several examinations. Dr Van Hemelrijck warned that as the study was observational it could not show that blood pressure was the cause of the increased cancer risk.